Boundary activities and readiness for ... - Projekti-Instituutti

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development areas was still lacking focus and compared to the other two it
was clearly behind the planned schedule.
The second round of interviews was conducted nearly one and a half years
later. Program planning had proceeded mainly as planned, and while some
projects were still being planned, altogether the program was in early
implementation. The one development area that had originally been
struggling was said to have found its course. At that time the program
included almost 50 projects, and altogether a few hundred people were
involved in the program activities. Compared to the situation during the
first round of interviews, the program organization had experienced some
visible changes. There had been personnel changes in Domain’s
management, and in line with these changes the chairman of the program
steering group, i.e. the program owner, was replaced. The new program
owner took a more active approach in getting involved in the program
work, and he also made sure that all of Domain’s top managers were
actively involved in the program-related decision making, as members of
the program steering group and as the directors of the development areas.
The role of the program coordinator had also changed significantly from
the early days. The program coordinator had gained a lot of insight into the
program’s content by actively participating in workshops, seminars,
steering group meetings, and other events at different levels of the program.
In the eyes of those involved in the program, the program coordinator was
largely associated with the program-related management structures and
procedures, and his activities seemed highly appreciated across the
program organization. Largely due to the program coordinator’s increased
insight into the program’s content and his proven managerial competence,
the newly appointed program owner wanted to further authorize the
program coordinator and make his central role more visible. Thus the
former program coordinator was officially appointed as the program
manager, which others also viewed as a more proper title for his role.
Program-wide coordination was viewed to mainly depend on the program
manager’s activities, as well as the discussions in the steering group
meetings. The coordination team that had originally been established to
support program-wide coordination and administration was no longer
active.
At the time of the second round of interviews, some results from the early
implementations could already be seen and these were described by the
interviewees as visible quick wins. As the most prominent example, a round
of negotiations with the representatives of Chain’s personnel union had
resulted in a revolutionary labor agreement that included more flexible
terms for working hours and the related compensation. Altogether the
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